Archive for the ‘American Life’ Category

(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

Betsy and I had ringside seats for the solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. Crossville was in the zone of totality, and it was a very big deal as you can see from the t-shirt My Beautiful Bride is wearing.

Clouds were forecast for the afternoon of the big event, but they fortunately stayed away enough for us to enjoy the show. It was quite an experience to see the moon start to block out the sun.

In some ways I wish I had better camera equipment, but I was delighted to get the pictures that I did get.

It was truly amazing to see the sun becoming a smaller and smaller sliver of light.

Then the sun was completely covered. It became night as solar lights came on and birds stopped their singing. I was able to capture the sun’s corona shining around the moon.

As the sun began to emerge from behind the moon I was able to capture a ‘diamond ring’. That was really a special moment for me.

As the moon continued to move away, a sliver of sun appeared in the sky.

As the moon moved even more, the sun became a crescent.

Our world got lighter as more of the sun became visible. Soon the magical once-in-a-lifetime event was over.

(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

I’m old enough to remember when the Fourth of July was more than just a weekend holiday, as wonderful as that can be. Way back then, the Fourth was a time of patriotic music (when is the last time you heard a John Philip Sousa march?), and stories of the founding of this nation.

So, in the spirit of the Fourth of July from yesteryear, I thought I would share some pictures taken at Colonial Williamsburg several years ago. We weren’t there on the Fourth of July, but it was still possible to catch the spirit of the ‘Revolutionary City’.

We’ve always enjoyed the Colonial Williamsburg Fife and Drum Corps, as seen in the photo above.

One evening we were able to see a muster of the colonial militia. They certainly didn’t march with the ‘spit and polish’ of British regulars.

(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

In mid-August Betsy and I took a day to visit with our friends Judy and Charlie at their campsite in the Cades Cove Campground. We always enjoy a visit to Cades Cove (or any other part of the Smokies as far as that is concerned!).

Camping at Cades Cove is an annual event for Judy and Charlie, and we try to visit with them each year. They are experienced campers and always make us feel welcome when we visit with them.

After our visit, Betsy and I drove to the beginning of the Cades Cove Loop Road. We didn’t have enough time to drive through the cove, but we could stop and get some pictures.

My Beautiful Bride is always happy whenever we are in the Smokies.

As we were heading home we stopped at the Townsend Visitor Center for one last look at our beautiful Tennessee sky and Mountains.

(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

“Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”

I wonder if they still teach that saying from Old Richard’s Almanac? I’ve given up on the wealthy and wise part of the saying, but my Beautiful Bride and I are hoping the healthy benefits of early rising hold true.

It isn’t always easy to get out of bed (and out of the house) before the crack of dawn, but we try. Fortunately we are often greeted by a beautiful sight such as the one above.

Some days are cloudy, but there is still beauty to be found.

Clear skies have a spectacular predawn beauty of their own. The colors are amazing.

In addition to beautiful skies, we are usually treated to the songs of birds as we make our way around the golf course. The peace and serenity can be felt.

And we know we can count on the sun to rise over the mountains to the east and show us the way home.

(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

In July, 2009, Betsy and I met my son Robert and his family in the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, North Carolina. We did some hiking in the Pink Beds and had a wonderful picnic lunch.

After lunch the young people (my son inclued) decided that they would like to check out Sliding Rock, a popular summer destination in the western North Carolina mountains. As the name implies, Sliding Rock is a water slide down a smooth rock face. Betsy and I volunteered to be the official photographers, so we had to miss out on the fun.

In the collage above, Sliding Rock is shown at the top left. Robert, Sean and Zack are waiting their turn to slide down the rock (Sean looks a little unsure about what he’s gotten himself into). The top right shows Robert and Sean going down the slide.

The bottom left photo was taken on the Blue Ridge Parkway later in the day, while another picture of Robert and Sean is on the bottom right.

(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

Betsy and I had our first ‘big’ date at Fall Creek Falls in late April, 2001. That was the beginning of our waterfall ‘collection’.

The next additions to our collection came about a month later. We went to Burgess Falls State Park near Cookeville, Tennessee. This park, which is only about an hour from our present home in Fairfield Glade, contains three waterfalls, and we hiked along the river to all three.

The collage above shows some scenes from that visit to Burgess Falls. The picture on the upper left shows the Falling Waters River above the three falls. The other picture on the top shows Burgess Falls — the main waterfall in the park — as we hiked down to the base.

The picture on the bottom left shows Betsy enjoying the mist at the base of Burgess Falls. Next is a view of the brink of Burgess Falls, followed by a side view of the falls as we hiked to the base.

This is my post for the Our World meme. This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies. To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.

Yesterday was the last of the twelve days of Christmas, but today is the Day of Epiphany, commemorating the visit of the Wise Men to the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem. So I think one more Christmas-themed post is appropriate.

Mary and Joseph on the way to Bethlehem. Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee. December 19, 2013.

On December 19 Betsy and I visited the Opryland Hotel in Nashville with my daughter Kelly and her husband Chuck. One of the attractions at the hotel this time of year is a Nativity Scene with life-sized figurines.

When we first saw this display many years ago, it was set up in a courtyard between two wings of the hotel. Now it’s set up in front of the hotel. While that gave more room for a large stable and manger, it definitely tied up traffic. Fortunately there were officers to direct traffic.

Another look at the manger. Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee. December 19, 2013.

If you’re ever in Nashville during the holiday season, I think you’ll enjoy seeing the Opryland Hotel, especially at night.

There are many other beautiful decorations at the hotel, but I’ll probably save those for another holiday season.

(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

Betsy and I had our first date on March 29, 2001, and things got serious after our date to Fall Creek Falls State Park on April 21. (If you missed that story, click HERE.) It wasn’t long after that date that things started getting serious.

The picture in the top left corner of the collage was taken in late April at the Paris, Tennessee, Fish Fry. Mom and Dad had gone for several years, but Dad felt he could no longer drive that long distance, so Betsy and I took them. Betsy met my sister Janet and her husband Charlie for the first time at the Fish Fry.

The picture on the top right is a class portrait of the Experiencing God Bible Study that Betsy taught. By that time Betsy knew she was getting a ring, but she didn’t know when. She got it about 30 seconds after this picture was taken. I was already down on my knees, so why not? I knew she could teach that evening without any problems even after getting the ring.

Later that week celebrated our engagement by going to Nashville for dinner and a performance of “Fiddler on the Roof”.

The hardest part of getting engaged to Betsy was meeting two of her sons in Knoxville (picture at lower right). I don’t mind telling you I was nervous, but Jeff and Bert must have approved, because Betsy and I were still engaged after that evening.

(Note: All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them once or twice.)

April 21 is a special day for Betsy and me. On April 21, 2001, we had our first ‘big’ date. On that day we went to Fall Creek Falls State Park here in Tennessee.

Our first date was a dinner date on March 29. We had a couple of other dates after that, but on April 21 we spent the entire date at Fall Creek Falls. We did a lot of talking and some hiking.

Fall Creek Falls State Park has five major waterfalls — those were the first waterfalls we saw together. As you might expect, this was the beginning of our waterfall ‘collection’.

The collage above has some pictures from that first date. The picture on the upper left is a picture I took of Betsy fairly early in the day along the lake near the park lodge. On the upper right is a picture of the two of us taken at the base of Cane Creek Cascade. The bottom row had Fall Creek Falls and Coon Creek falls on the left, and Piney Creek Falls on the right. In the picture of Betsy showing some leg was taken on the trail to the base of Fall Creek Falls.

Betsy and I have gotten back to Fall Creek Falls almost every April 21, and yesterday was no exception. As I said, April 21 is a very special day for us. What was the best part of the day? I got my first kiss that day.

To see larger versions of these pictures and others from that day, click HERE.